What Could It Hurt?
by Alchemist Experiment
Summary: A trip to Central leads to an awkward encounter, dinner, dating and a crash course in the human nerve system. HavocWinry, full series and movie spoilers.


_Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and characters do not belong to me, I am making no money off of this._

_Warnings: Sexual situations, nerve-play._

**What Could It Hurt?  
**

It had become something of tradition, visiting Central in the spring. Fall and winter were seasons prone to accidents, and there was always automail to be made and fitted. But once harvest was done and wood was chopped, there was a lull in business. And while Central wasn't quite the same without Ed and Al, it was still a change of scenery and home to a few familiar faces.

Winry took her time, her arms laden down with bags and boxes, strolling along the main street and enjoying the hustle and bustle of the city awakening to warm weather. She'd first come to the city as a young girl of thirteen. Now, eight years later, it still held a certain sense of thrall and excitement.

Stopping a moment to inspect the full bloomed roses that lined the street, Winry caught a familiar shock of blond hair and cloud of smoke heading towards her. She straightened and waved, smiling brightly as she caught the soldier's attention. She wasn't particularly close with many members of the military - she still kept in close touch with Sheska, and she had visited a bit with Lieutenant Hawkeye the day before - but they were good people whom she had grown to respect and admire.

"Lieutenant Havoc, hello!" She greeted him warmly enough, surprised to see him out and about. It was rare that she ran into any soldiers outside of Headquarters - but she supposed that the had to have free time.

"Hey Miss Rockbell." Havoc returned the greeting with a nod. "Been shopping?" He eyed her bags with a slight smile.

"Oh, please call me Winry! And, yes, I was." Winry nodded. It was always a bit awkward, these days. So much had come to pass in Amestris, and so much of it had touched them all so closely.

"Yeah, well, Central's supposed to be the hub for lady's fashion…"

Winry laughed. She couldn't help it. She shifted her bags to cover her mouth, her cheeks staining red as she laughed. Havoc raised his eyebrows, eyeing her oddly.

"I'm sorry!" Winry got herself under control. "I wouldn't know anything a out fashion," she explained, "I was buying tools."

"Oh, right." Havoc nodded. "For…automail stuff." There was an awkward moment of silence as they both nodded, and Winry wasn't sure quite what to say. It was difficult, without the common ground of Ed and Al.

"Were you shopping?" she finally asked, not wanting to be rude and simply saying goodbye.

"What? Oh, no." Havoc shook his head, a slight look of regret coming over his features. "Nah, I got stood up for a dinner date, so I'm just heading home."

"Oh." Winry winced, feeling badly that she'd asked. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, story of my life." Havoc shrugged, his cigarette dangling precariously from his lips. "Uh, you need a hand with your bags?"

Winry realized that they were haphazardly held in her arms, and she blanched as she shifted to gather them all together. "Oh, no, I'm fine…thank you!" But even as she assured Havoc that she had everything under control, the topmost bag began to slip, teetering on the edge of her arm. She froze, holding her breath as it wobbled and then fell.

"I got it." Havoc lunged, snatching at the bag before it hit the ground. Winry wanted to warn him that there was nothing breakable in it, but he'd already caught it.

"Thanks." Winry adjusted her bags, finding it much easier now. She was startled when Havoc took a second bag from her.

"I've got two hands," he explained with a shrug. "So, where to?"

"Oh, I don't want to keep you from anything…"

"Not keeping me from anything. Like I said, I was just on my way home. Nothing waiting for me there but some leftovers and a book."

"If you're sure…" She really could manage her own bags. Still, it was nice. "I'm staying with Gracia and Elysia."

"Right." Havoc nodded. "Lead the way."

They chatted as they walked, about the new government, the weather, things of that nature. Winry wondered how Havoc could talk so easily around the cigarette in his mouth. Once the initial awkwardness had worn off, she found it rather easy to talk to him. He didn't ask her uncomfortable questions and he didn't bring up what had happened last year. It wasn't that it was a particularly _painful_ subject - Ed and Al were alive and together, and that was the important thing. She wasn't going to be selfish, though she missed them both. She'd long ago grown used to Ed leaving her. It was almost better to know for certain that he was never coming back, rather than being left to wonder. But she knew that between her and Havoc, it would be a difficult subject. But it never came up, and the conversation stayed light and friendly.

As they approached the Hughes household - which even now still felt so empty - Havoc spit out his cigarette and crushed it beneath his heel. He slid by Winry to open the door for her, a gesture which made her both smile and roll her eyes. It was sweet and all - she wasn't exactly used to being in the company of gentlemen - but she could open doors for herself.

"I'm back!" Winry called, setting her bags down on the table. Gracia came into the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron.

"Welcome back. Hello, Lieutenant."

"Hey Mrs Hughes." Havoc set down the bags he'd been holding.

"Successful trip, I see." Gracia smiled. "Have you eaten yet? There's cold cuts in the ice chest, and I picked up some fresh bread this afternoon."

"Thanks! I didn't bother to stop for anything." She could fix a sandwich and eat it while sorting through her purchases.

"Oh, hey." Havoc turned to her, running a hand sheepishly through his hair. "Uh, if you haven't' eaten yet… I mean, I haven't' either, and I was gonna go out anyway… you wanna get something?"

Winry blinked. She looked from Havoc - who was watching her cautiously - to Gracia - who was stifling a smile. Had he just asked her out to dinner? Like a date? He offered her a hopeful little smile when she glanced back to him. She really wasn't entirely certain what to think.

"Oh, well…" She shifted, uncertain. On one hand, she'd been out all day and she really wasn't sure if she was at all in the mood to go on a date. On the other hand, she hardly ever went out and Havoc _was_ nice. And he hadn't _said_ it was a date. It was just dinner.

She hesitated, not sure of what to do. Havoc was still smiling his hopeful, nervous little smile. He had a nice smile, she decided, when there wasn't a cigarette hanging from it.

"Oh, go on." Gracia took control and began gathering up bags, shooing at Winry with one hand. "I'll put these in your room for you. Don't keep her out _too_ late, hmm?" The last was said to Havoc, who flushed and straightened.

"No ma'am," he promised, chuckling just a bit.

"Well, I guess that means yes," Winry said, shaking her head. And why not? She ran a hand through her ponytail and adjusted the hem of her plain blue shirt, the only freshening up she felt she needed.

"I'll leave the porch light on," Gracia promised, waving the two of them out the door. As soon as they were outside, Havoc lit up another cigarette.

Winry decided to lay everything on the table immediately.

"Er, is this a date?" she asked, as they headed out onto the darkening street. Havoc nearly dropped his cigarette.

"Uh…do you want it to be?" He glanced over at her shyly, his cigarette saved and safely between his lips. "Cause, you know, it can be."

Did she want it to be? She honestly couldn't remember the last 'date' that she'd been on., or if she even _had_ been on one. It wasn't as though she had the time, or as though Risembool was full of potential suitors. But that was all the more reason why it shouldn't be a date. She didn't have _time_ for men. And certainly not a busy soldier who lived in Central. But… well, one date didn't mean anything. And maybe it would get Granny off of her back a bit. The old woman had started hinting around about great grandchildren.

And, well, from what she knew of Havoc, she'd probably be doing something of a good deed. He didn't have much luck when it came to girls, from what Sheska had told her. Which surprised her, as he was a nice guy. And he was definitely a gentleman. What harm could one date do?

"Okay," Winry said, nodding. "I guess it's a date."

The wide grin she received in return was more than enough to let her know she'd made the right call. A date with a nice guy in a beautiful city. It was, she supposed, every girl's dream come true. But Winry wasn't every girl, and her dreams were made of wrenches and sockets and welding torches.

"So," Havoc asked, taking her arm to gently steer her down a side street. "How long are you in town for?"

"Just a few days," Winry admitted. So nothing would come of this. She really didn't want to get his hopes up.

"Got to get back to work, huh?"

"Mmmhmm. Spring's usually pretty slow, though. Fall's the worst."

"Oh yeah?" He held open the restaurant door for her, reaching around her awkwardly to push it open. He really went out of his way to be courteous.

"Harvest season," she explained. It wasn't a particularly fancy restaurant, which she was glad for. "People are always losing fingers and toes and hands… have you ever seen the damage a plough shear can do?"

"Uh… no, and I think I'm kinda glad." Oh. He even pulled her chair out for her, all the while with that silly sheepish grin on his face. It _was_ cute, Winry had to admit.

"So…" Now she found herself at a loss. What did people talk about on dates?

"You've, uh, you've really grown up, you know."

Winry blinked, then lowered her head to fight a wince. He really hadn't needed to remind her that she'd been thirteen when they first met.

"Oh! No, I didn't mean… I just meant you look really good. Pretty! You look really pretty."

Winry was starting to get an idea as to why Havoc didn't go on many dates.

"Thanks." What else was she going to say? "I pretty much run Rockbell Automail now. Granny just handles the money."

"You're really good with the automail stuff, right?" It was clear he was grasping for a non-offensive topic. Luckily, he'd found one.

"Well, I like to think I am. I mean, I _was_ named the most talented automail mechanic my age. And by the time I was ten I could already name every nerve in the human body. And I could connect automail to the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve by the time I was twelve." She couldn't help but beam a bit.

"That's tricky, is it?"

"Oh yes! With all of the branches it can be tricky to connect _everything_. There was an automail mechanic a few towns over who crippled a man for life because he missed attaching the inferior prudenal nerve - how a _man_ could forget that one, I have no idea…" She trailed off, realizing that Havoc had no idea what she was talking about.

"That sounds…fascinating."

"I'm boring you." Winry laughed. "It's okay."

"So. Crippled for life, huh?"

"It happens sometimes. Nerves are tricky, and if you get them crossed…." She shrugged. "Doing legwork in men is always so nerve-wracking. One wrong nerve and you can end up virtually castrating them."

Winry realized too late that perhaps that had been a bit too much information right before dinner.

"Um. Wow. I didn't know that."

"All the nerves in the body are connected," Winry explained. "Here, give me your hand."

Havoc looked at her skeptically, and he was saved for a moment by the waitress taking their orders. Once she'd left, Winry reached across the table and grabbed his hand. Really, she wasn't going to hurt him!

"The hands and feet have the most nerve endings," Winry went on, ignoring Havoc's stuttered protests. He had a nice hand. It was large and broad and not as calloused as most soldier's hands. Winry held it in her own and applied light pressure against a spot on his palm with her thumb.

"What was that?"

Winry grinned. "I told you. It's really fascinating. And…here." She applied light pressure to another spot and Havoc broke into an amazed smile. She'd never thought that this kind of knowledge would come in handy on a date.

"So you can make reactions all over, just by touching someone's hand?"

"Almost. The feet are better for it." She released his hand, and it lingered there a moment. But then the food came and conversation steered back to more normal topics. Winry laughed out loud a good number of times as Havoc related stories of his fellow officers, all of whom Winry was familiar with. He had very blue eyes, and they tended to light up as he talked. It was easier to see them without the familiar cloud of smoke hanging about him. Slowly, naturally, the conversation turned to Ed and Al. But it was alright, because Winry spoke about when they were young. Then it was Havoc's turn to laugh, as Winry spoke of silly childhood mishaps and adventures. Dinner passed quickly, and they passed on dessert.

The spring evening was quiet and warm. The sun was sinking, casting long shadows over the street. She honestly didn't want to go home quiet yet.

"Have you been to Braden Park?" Havoc asked, suddenly.

"No."

"It's really pretty, especially this time of year. They've got, uh, you know. Those night blooming flowers. You wanna see?"

Winry nodded, and she didn't pull away when Havoc shyly took her hand. It was just a date, she reminded herself. She was going back home in a few days, and she wouldn't be back for a year. But he was so _nice_. And he made her laugh.

"Here." He pulled her out of her reverie, physically pulling her gently into the park. He'd been right, it _was_ beautiful. And oddly deserted, considering night had just fallen. Winry let her eyes move from the heavy trees, thick with new growth, to the softly glowing pale blue flowers that dotted the ground. Despite the darkness, they were open.

Havoc led her to a bench, and they sat.

"There's no one around," she noticed, still amazed.

"Yeah, not too many people come here anymore. Some bad stuff went down a few years ago. It's perfectly safe now, but…" Havoc shrugged and snuffed out his cigarette. "You know how some people get." He stretched, then, yawning and reaching out his arms. Winry rolled her eyes, not at all surprised when his hand dropped onto her shoulder.

She was leaving in a few days. She wasn't going to see him again for a year, if they did see each other again on her next trip. Making a split second decision, Winry turned and kissed him. She felt his mouth open in surprise under hers. She'd kissed boys before - awkward, hesitant kisses that had been more bumping noses than lips - but this was different. For one, Havoc was a _man_. And second, she had no intention of ending this with just one kiss.

It didn't take long for Havoc's arms to go around her and for the kisses to grow heated. He kissed quite nicely, as far as she could tell. Even if he tasted rather like an ashtray. His hands stayed on her upper back, and he made no move to take his lips away from hers. Even in the heat of passion, he was a gentleman. And Winry was thankful for that.

Suddenly, he gently pushed her away.

"What's wrong?" Winry was flushed and her hair was mussed.

"Oh, well, you know." Havoc flushed himself and glanced down. "Don't want things getting _too_…"

"Oh!" Winry nodded and bit at her lower lip. That was the problem with men. And much as Winry liked Havoc - and she really did, after spending the evening with him - she wasn't about to sleep with him. Or anything close to that. "Er…sorry."

"No! No, don't be sorry." He shrugged. "You know, it happens."

"I know." She'd seen it happen when testing nerves prior to automail attachment. Suddenly, with a sly grin, Winry scooted down the bench. "Give me your foot," she instructed.

"Huh?"

"Give me your foot." Winry tugged at his leg, hauling his left foot into her lap. She quickly divested him of his shoe and flexed her fingers. _This_ she could do!

"What are you… oh!" Havoc's questioning was cut off as Winry ran her thumb along a sensitive length of skin. She grinned and rotated her thumb against the pad of his foot, causing another exclamation of surprise.

"I told you all nerves are connected," Winry said, applying pressure and stroking over particularly delicate nerve endings. Havoc was breathing heavily, his lower lip caught between his teeth as Winry worked his foot over, knowing exactly what she was doing. It was interesting to put her skills and knowledge to work like this, deliberately manipulating and stimulating. And enjoyable, too. She had to stifle a pleased grin as Havoc grabbed at the edge of the bench, breathing hard.

It didn't take much to finish things. A twist of her thumb here, her forefinger pressed tightly against _there_ and Havoc shuddered and tensed and stared at her, wide eyed and open mouthed.

"The human nervous system is really an amazing thing," Winry said, brightly. Havoc sat up, flushed and panting and shook his head.

"You can say that again."

Winry blushed. She couldn't quite believe she'd done that. And that already she was thinking about other nerves, in far more intimate areas, and the sort of stimulation _they_ could provide.

"So. Leaving in a few days, huh?" Havoc ran a hand through his slightly-damp hair and glanced over at her.

"Well…" Winry frowned and slid down the bench, curling up next to him. "I guess I could stay a little longer…"

"I'd like that. A lot." Havoc dropped an arm around her shoulders. "And not just because of… the… what you just did!"

Winry laughed. "I know."

A few more days couldn't hurt. It was a slow season, and Granny could handle things and knew how to get a hold of her if there was an emergency. Just a few more days…

Winry sighed. Why did she suddenly have the feeling she was going to be making the commute between Central and Risembool much more often now, especially in the slow spring season? Glancing up, she met Havoc's eyes and smiled. In the moonlight, they were the same shade as the night blooming flowers that colored the park.

A long commute really couldn't hurt anything…


End file.
